Peer-to-peer lending, crowd-funding, and other online financial services are becoming increasing relevant -- could Facebook (FB 0.55%), Google (GOOG +0.20%), and social media giants of the world become financial industry leaders?
Lending Club, which has already received an investment from Google, and Prosper are the two largest online platforms for peer-to-peer lending. Both companies earn fees from both borrowers and investors during the lending process. Given the size of the networks at Facebook and Google, these companies could have the large user bases needed to test financial initiatives.
In the following video, Motley Fool analysts David Hanson, Tyler Riggs, and Matt Koppenheffer debate the future of peer-to-peer lending, the risks involved with investing in these loans, and the chances social media companies enter the space.
